Board of Finance minutes from 2-26-07

The meeting was called to order by Chairman Joseph Mooney at 7:30 p.m. Also present were Lorraine Young, Jeffrey Vailette, Victor Cassella and Charles Shelton, Jr.

Also present were First Selectwoman, Cheryl Morris, Selectman Richard Sullivan, Marianne Kelly, Town Clerk, and Jim Finch, Finance Director.

1. Mr. Vailette made the motion, seconded by Mr. Shelton to approve the minutes of the January 29, 2007 meeting. The motion was passed by unanimous vote.

2. The Board of Finance heard a presentation from Gerald Goldberg ands Robert DeLuca of Merrill Lynch and Wachovia Securities with regard to the performance of the town's pension fund for the quarter ending December 31, 2006.

3. The Board of Finance considered a request from the Board of Fire Commissioners for the following transfer:

From: 4204-424.10-00 Salaries $(55,000)

To: 4204-424.10-90 Overtime $ 55,000

Mr. Cassella made the motion, seconded by Ms. Young.

RESOLVED: That the Board of Finance recommends to the RTM a transfer of $55,000 as requested by the Board of Fire Commissioners. The vote was unanimous.

4. The Board of Finance considered a request from Jim Murray, Director of Branford Summer Studies Program, for the following transfer:

From: 207-4830-483.10-79 Non-certified Salaries $( 875)

To: 207-4830-483.10-78 Certified Salaries $ 875

Mr. Cassella made the motion, seconded by Ms. Young

RESOLVED: That the Board of Finance recommends to the RTM a transfer of $875 as requested by the Director of Branford Summer Studies. The vote was unanimous.

5. The Board of Finance heard a presentation from the IT Director, Peter Hugret, on VM Ware Based Disaster Recovery. No action was taken.

6. The Board of Finance considered a request from Canoe Brook Senior Center Director, Dagmar Ridgway, for the following transfer:

From: 4402-442-10-00 Salaries (full-time) $(4,350)

To: 4402-442-11-06 Elderly Salaries (part-time) $ 4,350

Mr. Vailette made the motion, seconded by Mr. Shelton

RESOLVED: That the Board of Finance recommends to the RTM a transfer of $4,350 as requested by the Canoe Brook Senior Center Director. The vote was unanimous.

Ms. Ridgway, then, gave a presentation of the Senior Center Reorganization Plan that will be presented at the March Budget Hearings. No action was taken.

7. The Board of Finance heard a request from the Board of Education to approve a five year contract for a Wide Area Network. Discussion followed with a recommendation from the Chairman that this item be addressed at the Saturday, March 17, 2007 Budget hearing. No action was taken.

8. The Board of Finance heard a presentation from the Blackstone Memorial Library Board of Trustees members Vincent Giordano, Jr (chairman) and Sandra Reiners, Library Director Kathy Reiger, and Sandra Vlock, a representative of Arbonies, King, Vlock, regarding the results of a comprehensive needs assessment of the exterior and interior of the library. Also, future architectural plans from Silver, Petrucelli and Associates, Inc. were presented. No action was taken.

9. The Board of Finance heard a presentation from the 2007 Tax Relief Committee. The Finance Director provided an overview of the financial impact of the committee's recommendations. Discussion followed. Chairman Mooney noted that the current programs were valuable but an extensive study should be undertaken in the future. Two resolutions were presented by the Finance Director.

Ms. Young made the motion, seconded by Mr. Cassella.

RESOLVED: The Board of Finance recommends to the RTM that the cap available through the Tax Credit for Elderly and Disabled Tax Relief ordinance shall not exceed $134,000 for the 2007-2008 fiscal year and for future years shall not exceed 0.20 percent of the total amount of taxes collected against the most recent grand list for which audit figures are available. The vote was unanimous.

Ms. Young made the motion, seconded by Mr. Vailette.

RESOLVED: The Board of Finance recommends to the RTM that the cap available through the Elderly and Disabled Tax Relief ordinance shall not exceed $336,433 for the 2007-2008 fiscal year and for future years shall not exceed 0.50 percent of the total amount of taxes collected against the most recent grand list for which audit figures are available.

10. The Board of Finance considered a transfer request from the First Selectwoman and the Director of Human Resources to approve an allocation of previously budgeted incentive payments to various departments.

From: 101-4120-420-59.14 Incentive Pay $(25, 865) Executive

To: 101-4102-402-10.96 Incentive Pay $ 212 Executive

101-4104-404-10.96 Incentive Pay $ 2,275 Finance

101-4105-405-10.96 Incentive Pay $ 864 Assessor

101-4113-413-10.96 Incentive Pay $ 1,567 Planning & Zoning

101-4116-416-10.96 Incentive Pay $ 782 Inland/Wetlands

101-4119-419-10.96 Incentive Pay $ 1,841 Information Technology

101-4120-420-10.96 Incentive Pay $ 412 Human Resources

101-4201-421-10.96 Incentive Pay $ 407 Police

101-4204-424-10.96 Incentive Pay $ 2,023 Fire

101-4205-425-10.96 Incentive Pay $ 1,256 Building

101-4206-426-95.10 Trans Out $ 232 Animal Shelter

101-4301-431-10.96 Incentive Pay $ 822 Public Works

101-4303-433-10.96 Incentive Pay $ 1,920 Senior Center

101-4304-434-10.96 Incentive Pay $ 774 Solid Waste

101-4305-435-10.96 Incentive Pay $ 1,764 Engineering

101-4401-441-10.96 Incentive Pay $ 4,885 Human Services

101-4402-442-10.96 Incentive Pay $ 1,916 Waste Water Treatment

101-4501-451-10.96 Incentive Pay $ 1,130 Recreation

101-4602-462-10.96 Incentive Pay $ 783 Willoughby Wallace

Mr. Cassella made the motion, seconded by Ms. Young.

RESOLVED: That the Board of Finance recommends to the RTM a transfer of $25,865 as requested by the First Selectwoman and Human Resources Director. The vote was unanimous.

11. The Board of Finance considered a request from the Finance Director to establish a Sewer Use Fee Fund.

Mr. Cassella made the motion, seconded by Ms. Young.

RESOLVED: That the Board of Finance authorizes the establishment of a Sewer Use Fee Fund. The fund will be used to record the revenue from sewer use fees and to record accounting activity related to the operations and maintenance of the sewer system. The fund may also receive temporary advances from the General Fund to cover cash requirements. The vote was unanimous.

12. The Board of Finance considered a request from the Finance Director to establish a bank account for sewer use receipts.

Mr. Cassella made the motion, seconded by Ms. Young.

RESOLVED: That the Board of Finance authorizes the Town to open an account for the sewer use fee at the Bank of America. This account will be used to deposit revenues derived from the sewer use fee. The vote was unanimous.

Mr. Shelton made the motion, seconded by Ms. Young to adjourn the meeting at 10:20 p.m. The vote was unanimous.

Dated this 27^th day of February, 2007

Respectfully submitted,

Marianne Kelly, Clerk